Dobby's New Tales
by WogglebugLoveProductions
Summary: Short vignettes of Dobby's life after Hogwarts as the house-elf of Harry Potter and his new family. Read Dobby's Own Story to understand better.
1. Chapter 1

"Please, Master Albus, please just a taste," Dobby pleaded as he was trying to feed the Potters two year old son Albus, the youngest of their three children. Every time Dobby would bring the tiny spoon full of mashed apples to the child's mouth he would close it tightly and turn his head to the side.

"Come on, it's good!" he tried again. "See, Dobby likes it!" He put the spoon into his own mouth and swallowed the baby food easily. Then he dug the spoon into the bowl again and brought it up to Albus's mouth but once again the baby turned its head and clenched its mouth shut.

Dobby was in despair. He put down the spoon and just stared at Albus. Master Harry had said this would be difficult he didn't say near to impossible and Dobby couldn't bear the thought of failing at something that Harry wanted him to do. As he thought about this his ears drooped as did his eyes and so did his mouth.

Albus apparently seemed to think this was a funny sight because he squealed and his mouth opened in laughter.

Dobby at once perked up and seized the opportunity to place the spoon into Albus's mouth. As he swallowed the food Dobby got another spoonful and attempted to feed it to him again only to be met yet again with a clenched mouth. Dobby quickly made the sad puppy face again and caused Albus to giggle again so that he could slip the food evenly into his mouth.

He continued like this as Harry stepped into the kitchen still wearing his bathrobe. "Albus isn't giving you any trouble is he, Dobby?"

"Oh no, Master Harry Potter," Dobby assured him. "He is just a bundle of joy."

Harry chuckled and said, "Well, remember to take James and Lily to get their things for school this afternoon. I'd do it myself but I'm needed at the Ministry all day."

"Of course, Master, of course," said Dobby as Albus pinched his left ear.

So that very afternoon Dobby apparated with James and Lily at either side of him to Diagon Alley. As they walked down the streets the people passing by the way waved at them and smiled and if they had an elf with them the elves would say "Look! There goes Dobby!" for they knew who he was.

Dobby was by now used to this sort of attention which he had endured ever since he became Harry Potter's house elf and he received endless praise from any other elf whom he met and he now knew how Harry always felt when he went out, not that he minded much as it warmed his heart.

After purchasing new school robes at Madame Malkin's Robes for all Occasions they went to Flourish and Blotts to purchase the new required set of books including an updated version of _A History of Magic_.

Once they were inside as Lily and James were walking down the selective aisles to get there required books Dobby noticed a new book was on display near the entrance. It was wrapped in a bright shiny silver cover with transparent gold letters which read,

_A History of Elf Intentions and What to do for them by Hermoine Granger Weasley._

Dobby smiled as he remembered when Miss Hermoine had come to him and Winky for all the information she could about the history of the house elves enslavement after having finally given up on her S.P.E.W. Campaign. He should he have known she would intend to later publish all the information she gathered and all the articles she wrote.

Ten minutes later they came across Eeylops Owl Emporium and Dobby thought now it would be nice to get Lily her own owl so she didn't always have to use James'. He walked inside and found dozens of owls standing on perches in cages of gold, silver, and brass. Some were sleeping with their head under their wings and some were eating something and some were flapping their wings as though they were impatient to get out.

Dobby glanced around and spotted one small plump white owl with silver tipped wings and crystal blue eyes who was standing still on her perch and looking straight ahead although when she spotted them looking at her she turned her head toward them and her wings gave a little flap as if to show eagerness.

Dobby smiled and looked towards Lily who was smiling widely at the owl. "Does Mistress Lily like this owl?"

"I love her," she said. "I'll name her Hedwig after the one Daddy told me he used to have."

So they purchased the owl and just as they were about to leave Diagon Alley they passed by The Quality Quidditch Supply Store and James stopped and stared wide-eyed at what he saw standing in the display window. There was a new broom with a blue and white handle with a label on it which read _The New Skyline Drive 700_.

Dobby caught the longing expression in James' eyes and felt he wanted for him to be happy. He knew he was currently using his father's old broom but he was tired out with all of the new things out by now and he figured Master Harry Potter would understand and so they stepped inside a purchased the new broom for James.

"You got a new broom? But why?" Harry asked when they got back home.

"Come on, Dad," said James. "You're old broom is nice and all but this is the latest thing and everyone will be having one by the time school starts again and I bet I can beat even Scorpious at quidditch with this."

Harry gave him an understanding smile. "I suppose I'd be the same way if I was your age now. Okay, so now why don't we go out and practice for quidditch and try it out?"

So they did and James played a one on one quidditch with his best friend Teddy Lupin. He zoomed around ten feet above the ground on his new Skyline Drive with the speed and dexterity of a jet plane as he tried to catch a particularly crafty snitch.

"Come on, James! You can do it!" Harry cheered him on. "Just keep your on it and catch it when it comes in your range! Remember what I told you!"

And James did and when he finally caught the snitch in his excitement he lost his legging on the broom and fell. But fortunately Dobby cast a hovering charm and set him down gently.

Once he was safely on the ground again James ran up to his father and hugged him tightly.

"I knew you could do it, James! I'm proud of you son!" Harry exclaimed as he patted him on the back. "And I'm proud of you, too, Dobby," he added to his house elf. "I don't know where I'd be without you."

* * *

Dobby was trying to bathe Albus in a half filled tub. This he found was even harder than trying to feed him for he just wouldn't stop squirming and wiggling. The harder Dobby tried to touch him with the washcloth the more he moved away from it.

"Please, Master Albus, hold still!" Dobby pleaded anxiously. "It's just soap. Soap is good." He picked up the soap again and rubbed it on the washcloth again. Suddenly the soap bar slipped from his hands and fell into the tub.

Dobby quickly reached his hands into the water and found the soap. However it kept slipping out of his fingers and falling back in. As the bar of soap began to shrink and his hands began to get very sudsy he dropped the soap directly into Albus's lap. The two-year old picked it up in his tiny hands and stared at it curiously.

"Master Albus, please give Dobby the soap," Dobby pleaded.

Then suddenly to Dobby's horror Albus put the end of the soap bar into his mouth.

"No, no, no, Master Albus!" Dobby exclaimed as he reached to take the soap out of his mouth. "That is bad!"

Dobby started to take the soap out of Albus's mouth, however just as he was doing so Albus took hold of it again and this time he stuck it in Dobby's mouth.

Dobby spit it out at once and began gagging and spitting repeatedly as there was a terrible toxic taste left in his mouth. "You are right, young Master," Dobby sputtered. "Soap is bad!"

Harry opened the door and peered inside. "How's it going, Dobby?" he asked.

"Not so good, Master Harry Potter," Dobby replied miserably. "Young Master Albus will not stay still."

"I see," said Harry. "Well, have you tried tickling him?"

Dobby reached out with his still very soapy fingers and began tickling Albus around his waist. He started giggling at once and remained in one position as Dobby tenderly rubbed his soapy hands along his bare chest and stomach and then with the washcloth.

That night as Harry and Ginny were tucking Lily and James into their beds Dobby moved around picking the remains of a pillow fight off of the floor.

"Daddy, tell me a story, please?" Lilly begged Harry.

"Okay, sweetie," he said smiling. "Which one?"

"The one about the elf who found a home," she replied.

"Once upon a time," he began. "There was a little elf who had the misfortune of being born an orphan and he lived the first five years of his life in an orphanage for elves until he was adopted by a family one day. However this was a family of bad dark wizards who treated him like vermin. He never lived without fear as he was having to punish himself as he worked for them for every single little mistake he made and since he was so young that was very often. He was brought up to believe this was how the world works for his kind, that he owned nothing of his own and he didn't dare to hope for anything more. As bad as this family treated him he never said so to them for he was taught from the moment he was born that it was wrong of him to speak ill of the family he served."

"Then one day a wizard was born, and like the elf he was also born an orphan having survived the curse that killed his parents by the Dark Lord Voldemort who lost his power when he couldn't kill the baby wizard because he had been marked by his mother by the power of love. Everyone knew about this great wizard including the elf who lived with the bad dark wizards and he always wanted to meet him. Then when the Wizard came of the age to go to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry the elf heard his evil masters speaking of a plot to make terrible things happen there that would put the boy wizard in mortal danger. The elf knew he could never let the boy wizard die so he did everything in his power to keep him away from school but as it turned out the boy wizard survived through the peril and rescued others from it along the way. The elf felt so ashamed of himself but it also turned out that the boy wizard forgave the elf's actions and even set him free from his former family of bad dark wizards."

Harry saw that Lily was almost asleep and so he made the story's ending short.

"Then for two years the freed elf traveled the world in search of a new home but it was hard for him to stay in one place for very long because he was free of enslavement. Then one day the Headmaster of the school the boy wizard went to offered him work and a place to live there which he gladly accepted and he soon met the boy wizard again and became his dedicated friend and protector, and helped him in anything he could and once it almost cost the elf his life when he saved the boy wizard's but he survived and the boy wizard defeated the Dark Lord this time for good. Then when the boy wizard became a man and married his school sweetheart they offered the elf to come live with them not merely as a servant but as one of the family and so he did and he lived happily ever after living with the wizard who set him free and taking care of his family and had never punished himself since then."

Harry bent down and kissed his sleeping daughter goodnight on her forehead, turned out the night light and as he was leaving the room he saw Dobby standing in the doorway.

"Dobby likes that story, Master," said the elf wiping away a stray tear. "Especially the ending."

"So do I, Dobby," said Harry. "So do I."


	2. Chapter 2

Dobby awoke in his little elf bed in his room in the attic. He could see sunlight streaming in through the open the window beside him as a light breeze awakened him and though the breeze was cool he was feeling much warmer, almost hot actually. His head felt heavy as he lifted it from his pillow. He sat up slowly and yawned and found his throat was dry and raw and it was also hard to breathe.

He let out a weak cough and swallowed leaving a slight burning sensation down his throat. He took a small handkerchief out of pajamas pocket to blow his nose but ending up sneezing into it first, then he let out another and harsher cough.

Dobby felt that he really wasn't feeling well. He remembered his masters and mistresses experiencing these symptoms in the past, and what did they call it? Was it a cold or flu? He remembered it always lasted at least a day or two and he would be waiting on them hand and foot all the while. Of course he didn't expect them to do so for him for how could they? He was meant to serve them not the other way around. He also knew he couldn't let something like a cold get in the way of his duties.

So he dressed and went down to fix breakfast for the Potters. At one point he sneezed again and nearly tripped over a step on his way down.

He entered the kitchen and set about making a breakfast of tea, toast, eggs, bacon, and oatmeal for his family. He worked a little slower at it today than he usually did and every now and then he had to turn his head away and sneeze into his handkerchief again.

Harry stepped into the kitchen wearing a dark red robe over his pajamas. "Good morning, Dobby," he said. "Something smells good."

"Good morning, Master Harry Potter, sir," Dobby replied, finding it hard to speak as his throat was now aching.

"I've got good news, Dobby," Harry said brightly as he took his seat at the dining table. "I've convinced the Ministry to allow elves to report any mistreatment to them and if they can be placed in a better household."

"How wonderful, sir!" Dobby said smiling as best he could.

Dobby began setting the table one plate at a time. Halfway through he felt another sudden need to sneeze but he fought valiantly to suppress it. However unfortunately just as he picked up the last plate which was Harry's dish of fried eggs he couldn't hold it in any longer and reaching for his handkerchief he had barely enough time to get it to his face before it hit and in its outburst he dropped the plate and it shattered on the floor and the eggs were splattered to bits.

Dobby stared horror struck at the mess he had made on the kitchen floor. "Oh no! Dobby's so sorry Master Harry Potter, sir! Dobby will clean this up right away and then punish himself good, he will, sir!"

"No, Dobby, no!" Harry said as he got up from his chair and bent down to Dobby's level. "There's no need to punish yourself over this. I realize it was an accident and you couldn't help it. It also seems to me you've caught a bad cold."

"What makes you think Dobby has a cold, sir?" Dobby asked sniffling and wiping his nose.

"Well," said Harry. "You're sneezing, you're nose is running, you're eyes are watery. That is what I and everyone I know is like when we have a cold."

"Dobby begs your pardon, sir. He left his window open last night," Dobby admitted ruefully.

"I see," Harry said. "Well, Dobby you just go upstairs to bed again and I'll clean this up for you."

"Oh no, Master!" Dobby protested while fighting off the urge to cough again. "Dobby cannot shirk his duties just because he is sick! He will clean this up and make you some more eggs."

"Dobby, listen to me," Harry pleaded. "Working will only make you sicker and I couldn't allow it as you're more than just my servant. You are my friend and also to my family and I believe you deserve no less respect than the rest of us do in times like this. So Dobby as your Master I shall order you to go back to bed and rest there until you are feeling well again and I will bring tea up to you."

Dobby couldn't believe what he had just heard from his master. He would bring tea to him? This was just unheard of in the world where he used to live with the Malfoys! He knew that Harry wasn't anything like his old master but in spite of living with him for more than a decade he still wasn't quite used to being treated like an equal all the time. Yet he knew he couldn't possibly disobey Harry at a time like this and so he went up to his room again and got into his pajamas and settled into his bed again to rest.

Then for the next three days Dobby laid in his bed clutching a handkerchief close to his face with a stack of extra ones at his side as he drank pumpkin juice and herbal tea which soothed his sore throat a great deal and he ate mostly soup which was brought up to him by one of the members of the Potter family. So touched was he by all of this attention and hospitality he would sometimes cry when one of them came up with something else for him.


	3. Chapter 3

It was a glorious day in August and the Potter family had just had a picnic lunch in the park. James and Lily were on the swings being pushed from behind by Dobby and Winky. Harry and Ginny were picking up there things from the picnic.

"This has been such a fine day," said Ginny contentedly. "I've never felt so good in my life, how about you?"

"I always feel good when you and our children are near," Harry replied smiling. "Not a day doesn't go by that I don't celebrate our marriage; speaking of which, our anniversary is coming up soon."

"Yes, I know," said Ginny. "It is a miracle that we were able to be together after all we've been through, just as it is a miracle that we have such beautiful children."

"And to think I was so unsure at first," Harry said reflecting. "We would have never gotten together if it hadn't been for Dobby and Winky.

"What do you mean?" asked Ginny curiously.

"Well, it was twelve years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday," said Harry. "It all started on a day just like this one..."

_Young Harry Potter sat picking at his food at his table for he had a lot on his mind and his face bore a weary expression. He had not felt so troubled since before he had defeated Voldemort._

"_What is wrong, Master Harry Potter, sir?" asked his house-elf Dobby. _

"_Well, Dobby, I've just been thinking a lot about Ginny lately," Harry replied._

"_Your Miss Wheezy? Why? And why has Harry Potter not seen her in so long?" Dobby inquired._

"_That's just the problem, Dobby," Harry said. "I want to see her, I really do... and yet I'm afraid to."_

"_Afraid? Why would Harry Potter be afraid of his Miss Wheezy?" Dobby asked confused._

"_Because I've been thinking that I want her to be my Mrs. Harry Potter is why," Harry replied passionately._

_Dobby's ears perked upward and his eyes bulged widely, and then quickly his expression relaxed and he smiled understandingly. "Ah! The great Harry Potter is in love, he is!" he crooned serenely._

"_Don't you see, Dobby? That is just where the problem lies," Harry said in frustration. "What if this love is wrong, what if it won't last like mine for Cho Chang didn't. How can I be sure I am really in love this time?"_

_Dobby continued smiling. "There is a way, Master," he replied with ease. "Ask yourself 'would you die for her'?"_

"_Well, I would, of course! I mean, I have risked my life to save her before and all," Harry replied with certainty. "But why are you sure that means we're meant to be together, Dobby?"_

"_Because that was how Dobby knew he was really in love with Winky, he did," Dobby replied. "She was wanting to kill herself and she was going to jump off of the Hogwarts highest tower, but Dobby told her that if she jumped he would jump after her, he did. And so Winky climbed back down with Dobby, and then Dobby swore he would never leave her side and look where we are now! If Harry Potter will just realize he has such feelings for his dear Miss Wheezy then his days will be as bright as Dobby's is!"_

"_Even if you're right, Dobby, there's still a problem," said Harry still a bit dubious. "What if Ginny doesn't feel the same way about me?"_

"_But has Miss Wheezy not said she love you before?" Dobby asked._

"_Yes, but we were just kids then and this is now," said Harry. "How can I be sure she still feels the same?"_

_Dobby smiled enthusiastically and handed Harry the latest edition of the Daily Prophet. Harry looked into it and found the Annual Wizard's Ball was being held this Saturday night. He felt his heart rising and sinking again._

"_It sounds like a great plan, Dobby, except I don't have anything to wear," he said despairingly._

_Dobby smiled even bigger than before. "Dobby can fix that in a a snap!" he exclaimed jubilantly. _

"So that was how you got the idea and everything else," said Ginny in the present time. "Dobby always has been a sweet angel."

"I had the best time of my life with you at the Ball," Harry said reminiscing again. "Except for what happened afterward..."

_The day of the Ball finally arrived and Harry stood in front of his full-length mirror checking himself out. He was now wearing a long purple coat with bright red trousers and a dark pink vest and a big yellow bowtie. Never had he looked or felt so stunning, and it was not just the clothes but thanks to Winky's magical grooming his hair was all neat and smooth for the first time in his life._

_Harry turned to his two loyal servants and smiled at them. "You both did an excellent job," he said._

"_We have another surprise for you, which you will have for Miss Wheezy," Dobby announced. He snapped his fingertips together and instantly the front door opened and revealed a sparkling white coach with six white winged horses attached to it. "Your chariot awaits, Master," Dobby said making a low bow._

_Harry couldn't believe his eyes. He thought if this did not impress Ginny nothing would. "Thank you both so much! I don't know how can I ever repay you two?"_

_Winky and Dobby blushed at his praise. "We is needing no repaying," said Winky. "It is the least we could do for you after all you've done for us."_

"_There is one thing you must understand, Master," Dobby said with a serious tone. "At midnight the spell will wear off and this will become a pumpkin and six white mice as it was before. Dobby is sorry but it was the best he could do on such short notice."_

"_That's okay, Dobby," Harry assured him. "It's still more than I ever hoped for." He bent down and hugged Dobby causing Dobby's eyes to water._

_Dobby sniffled as Harry released him. "Well, Master must hurry or he will be late."_

_So Harry stepped into the carriage and swiftly the horses spread their wings and took to the air. He waved to the elves as he flew away and they waved back._

_The carriage drove Harry to the Weasley's Burrow where he found Ginny waiting for him. She was wearing a shimmering green and silver white gown with matching silver slippers and her hair was done up in an elegant do. _

"_Why, Harry! How did you ever afford all of this?" she exclaimed when she saw the coach and horses._

"_Nothing I couldn't manage just for you," he replied grinning. _

"_Their beautiful," she said as she petted one of the horses._

"_They may be beautiful, but not as beautiful as you. Come, my lady." He held the carriage door open for her and she stepped inside and then he stepped inside and sat down beside her. _

_They flew to the town hall where they met with their friends Ron and Hermione, as well as Neville and Luna. Then once the music began they danced the night away._

_So this is love, Harry thought, this is what makes life divine. As they danced he saw Ginny's eyes aglow and knew then he was right in his love for her. It was the miracle he had been dreaming of. Above them enchanted stars glittered on the ceiling and Harry felt like his heart could just take wings and he could fly with Ginny to the Heaven and touch every star._

"We danced passed midnight," Ginny recalled.

"I couldn't help it," Harry admitted. "We were having such a good time I completely forgot about Dobby's warning, and then it was too late."

_Harry and Ginny went outside after the Ball had ended at half past midnight and they watched as right before their eyes the sparkling coach turned into a large orange pumpkin and the beautiful winged horses became tiny white mice which scurried away from them._

"_Harry, what just happened?" Ginny gasped in shock and disbelief._

_Harry's face fell as he suddenly remembered for the first time what he had forgotten all night. "Ginny, I'm so sorry," he said with shame and embarrassment. "I should have told you. The coach and the horses were not real, they were only the enchanted by my house elves, I could've never afforded the real thing. But I only wanted to be here with you tonight because I love you so much, though now I suppose you're upset with me, aren't you?"_

_To his surprise Ginny laughed cheerfully. "No, I'm not, Harry. It wasn't your fault. I still had the best night of my life, especially now that I know you really do love me as I love you."_

"_You do?" Harry exclaimed, unable to contain his ecstasy at hearing those words from her._

"_I do, Harry," she said. "I've loved you ever since we were at Hogwarts together. I used to think it was just a childish crush that would come to pass but it only grew stronger and deeper as we grew older."_

"_It was the same with me," said Harry. "Now I want you to know that I would gladly face a hundred- million basilisks and dark wizards to save you and have you at my side for I want us always to be together forever and ever."_

"And then you gave me this," Ginny said as she held out her hand with the shiny ring on the third finger which was glowing bright red in the sunlight as it glowed a different and, or brighter color whenever she was experiencing new feelings and now she feeling very loved.

"And then I kissed you... just like this," Harry said and he kissed her once again.


	4. Chapter 4

Winky was humming cheerfully to herself as she was washing this morning's dishes. She was also cheerful these days for she was married to the best elf any could have as a mate, and they were with, in her opinion, the best wizarding family in all of the world. How could life be any better?

She finished washing the dishes and turned off the water and began drying them off thoroughly. Then suddenly the sound of someone crying reached her ears. She could tell from the tone of the sobs it was Dobby. She quickly set down her work and rushed outside following the sound and found Dobby sitting alone on a rock in the garden sobbing like his heart was breaking with his hands over his eyes as he was clutching his handkerchief against them which was quite thoroughly soaked through and was dripping noticeably and there was also a small damp spot on the earth just beneath him.

The sight of seeing her mate like this made her heart hurt and she stepped up to him and put her arm around him as she asked, "Why whatever is the matter, sweet Dobby? Why the tears?"

Dobby lifted his hands from his eyes and rung his handkerchief out with both hands creating an even bigger wet spot on the ground, and still wailing loudly he said, "M-M-Mas-ter H-H-Har-ry P-P-Pot-ter's a-an-ni-ver-sa-ry i-i-s t-t-to-mor-row! Oh boo hoo hoo hooo"

"But why is that making Dobby sad?" Winky inquired.

"D-D-Dob-by d-d-doesn't h-ha-ve a g-g-gift f-f-for h-h-im! Boo hoo hoo hoo hooo!"

"But why does Dobby want to give Master a gift?" Winky inquired.

Dobby seemed so shocked to hear this he stopped crying abruptly. He uncovered his face and looked at Winky with wide and swollen eyes. "Why? Winky asks Dobby why! Does she not remember the day Master and Mistress were married?"

Winky began to remember.

_It was the day of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley's wedding. A very special day for everyone and practically all of the wizarding world was invited, including the house-elves. Ron was the best man and Hermione was the maid of honor, and Dobby was to be the ring bear and Winky the flower girl._

"_I never thought I'd live to see the great Harry Potter marry, let alone conduct it," the old priest said as he met with Harry on the day before. "It will be such an honor and a pleasure. One thing I don't understand however is why there is no ring bear or flower girl?"_

"_But there is, you just met them," Harry said uneasily._

"_I did? Whom do you mean?" the priest asked confused._

"_Winky and Dobby, of course. My house-elves," Harry stated plainly._

_The priest looked suddenly perturbed. "Why, you must be joking, my son, and I don't think it is funny!"_

"_I am not joking!" Harry insisted. "I am serious, in fact I've never been more serious."_

"_But you just can't be!" the priest exclaimed agitated. "House-elves can't be invited to a wizard's wedding!"_

"_Why not?" asked Harry, very disturbed._

"_Why not!" the man seemed aghast at being questioned. "Why, it is blasphemous! It's unholy! House-elves are slaves, for God's sake! Being the caterers I could understand, but a ring bear and a flower girl? Never! Never!"_

_Harry was now very upset. "Dobby and Winky are not slaves they are my friends! They've both done so much for me, Dobby has saved my life many times, and me and Ginny wouldn't even be getting married if it hadn't been for him and Winky his wife."_

"_Well, I will not conduct any wedding that shames the name of the Lord!" the priest declared furiously._

"_Fine with me, because I will not have anyone at my wedding who disrespects my friends!" Harry declared just as furiously. "In fact I will have my wedding conducted by the Minister of Magic instead! I do not care about what is holy and what isn't, I never did!"_

_Harry Potter was true to his word and when the day of the wedding came Harry and Ginny stood in his wizard's tuxedo which Dobby and Winky had made, and Ginny stood at his side in her shimmering white gown before the Minister of Magic, Arthur Weasley._

_As Mr. Weasley was making a speech about Harry and Ginny's love as well as his love for them Winky went down the aisle between the rows of seats daintily tossing flower petals in her wake. She was wearing a long white dress with tiny pale pink and blue flowers on it._

"_May we have the rings, please?" Mr. Weasley said, and Dobby promptly stepped up in his dark purple suit and also socks with cupids and angels on them and held up a small red pillow bearing Harry and Ginny's rings which were glowing bright red. Harry picked up one ring and slipped it on Ginny's finger and she did the same with him._

_Dobby sighed happily and listened as Mr. Weasley recited their wedding vows between them. Tears came to his eyes when Ginny said "I do," to Harry, and tears spilled down his face when Harry said "I do," to Ginny, and when they kissed he began to cry loudly as he clapped his hands along with all the guests, many of which were shedding tears also._

Dobby was also crying now, though not with joy and happiness but with sorrow and regret. "Harry Potter let us in his own wedding, and he even spoke up for us, and no other wizard would ever do so! And now Dobby doesn't have a gift for him and he will think Dobby is ungrateful, he will! Oh boo hoo hoo!" Dobby began his sobbing all over again, splashing tears everywhere.

Winky now understood Dobby's sadness perfectly for she felt she would like to give a gift for her Master and Mistress as well. Though she also knew from experience crying about would get them nowhere. So she she said to Dobby, "Winky will help Dobby find the perfect gift for Master and Mistress."

Dobby then blew his nose so hard and wetly that Winky had to step back. He looked up with a quivering smile. "W-W-Winky w-w-will?" Winky nodded. "B-B-But h-h-how?"

"We'll... we'll... uh... we'll go ask the fairies," Winky finally said.

So they went up to the bushes around the house and bent down and made a tiny whistling noise and almost immediately three tiny fairies with delicate gossamer wings popped out from within the twigs and leaves.

"Greetings elves," said one in a high-pitched tiny voice. "To what do we owe this visit?"

"Dobby is sad because he cannot find the perfect present to give to his good master on his anniversary with his mistress," Dobby said unhappily.

"We were wondering if perhaps you might be able to help us come up with something," Winky continued.

"Well, what is it your master and mistress value the most?" inquired the fairy.

"Why, they value each other of course," Dobby replied. "They value each other's love and the magic of their love more than any sort of magic there is... and the problem is that Dobby cannot conjure anything from a magic good enough to match it," he added with his lip quavering.

"We have heard all about the Potters love for each other," one fairy said.

"The flowers sing of it all the time when they are in bloom," said another.

"They do, what do you mean?" Winky inquired curiously.

"Oh that's right! You can't hear them. No living creature but us fairies can hear the flowers love songs," the first fairy replied.

"Well..." Winky became thoughtful. "Could you maybe find one that could make itself heard by human ears for once at least?" she asked hopefully.

"We will try, but we can't really promise," the fairy replied slowly.

"Please do!" begged Dobby earnestly. "It would be the most perfect present for Master and Mistress ever!"

* * *

It was the morning of Harry and Ginny's anniversary and they were still laying in bed cuddling with each other when they were gradually awakened by a very strange and yet very sweet melodic voice.

Harry slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes, and putting on his glasses he gasped and smiled at what he saw. "Ginny, wake up! Look!" he said to his wife. When Ginny sat up with him she held the same expression on her face as he did.

There just above the head of their bed a hundred fairies with glowing yellow balls of light around them and come together spelling out the words "Harry loves Ginny" and in the middle of them they were holding out a pink tulip which as they listened very closely and carefully they could hear the song it was singing to them.

_Because you live and breathe  
Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help  
Because you live, girl  
My world has twice as many stars in the sky_

It's alright, I survived, I'm alive again  
Cuz of you, made it through every storm  
What is life, what's the use if you're killing time  
I'm so glad I found an angel  
Someone  
Who was there when all my hopes fell  
I wanna fly, looking in your eyes

Because you live and breathe  
Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help  
Because you live, girl  
My world has twice as many stars in the sky  
Because you live, I live

Because you live there's a reason why  
I carry on when I lose the fight  
I want to give what you've given me always

Because you live and breathe  
Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help  
Because you live, girl  
My world has twice as many stars in the sky

Because you live and breathe  
Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help  
Because you live, girl  
My world has everything I need to survive

Because you live, I live, I live

"We must be sure to thank Winky and Dobby later," Harry said. "This is the best anniversary gift they've ever given us!"


	5. Chapter 5

**These are actual quotes from Dobby Haters around the internet, and if you know any please find them and smack them in the crotch and tell them you hope they die in a fire too!"**

Dobby tried to run from them, but they were everywhere.

He was running through the Forbidden Forest. It was pitch dark, there was not a star up in the sky, not even light from a moon. How he got here or why it was dark or how they got here he didn't know. But the reason why he was running was becoming alarmingly clear.

The dementors were after him.

Dobby had never felt more fear, worry, or dread, this worse before which was filling his heart, and his soul which he might lose if he didn't get out of here fast enough.

Weaving between the trees, he kept his pace. He was running as fast as his skinny little legs would carry him, panting for breath. Though he couldn't see the dementors he could certainly feel them as they were everywhere around him, trying to suck out all of the positive energy from an living creature they could find.

He ran head first into something very thin and extremely cold. He looked up and found himself looking into the hood of a dementor and could faintly see the hideous face underneath with empty eye sockets and a gaping wide mouth.

And then he heard it speak to him:

"I hate Dobby! I want him to die very badly. I mean that in falling into a volcanic pit is too good an end for Dobby!"

Dobby felt more pain than he had ever felt in his life at those words, as if a knife had been driven into his chest again and went straight to the heart this time.

"God I hate Dobby! I hope he dies in a fire!"

"I hate Dobby's miserable little guts!"

"I hate Dobby, I do! I think he's an annoying little weirdo."

"Oh my word! How can I forget I hate Dobby! The house elf chaffes my chaps!"

"I hate Dobby and wanted Malfoy to smash him into a wall!"

"Though many hated him I thought Lucious Malfoy was cool. Very cool. I was actually joyed with my ever so cruel heart that he beat Dobby on the way out of Dumbledore's office, because I hate Dobby. I simply hate him. "

They were everywhere around him now, all throwing such words as these at him that were like daggers impaling his heart and soul. He wanted so much to lay down and succumb to the dementor's deadly kiss so that the pain that filled his being would go away. But then a remarkable thing happened, he thought of Harry Potter and of his love for him and it gave him the strength he needed to get up and start running again.

Unfortunately just as he turned around he met with another dementor who had its hood down and was staring at Dobby so horrifyingly that he stood frozen in place and listened helplessly to its words of hate and soulless cruelty

"I hate Dobby! He is so annoying and he's always getting Harry Potter into trouble... Here are ten reasons for Harry to say "Bad Dobby"... If Harry hates Dobby so much why did he free him from Lucious?... Harry asks himself that question a million times a day... Die Dobby Die!"

This was the final blow that Dobby's little heart could take and collapsed onto the ground in floods of tears. If Harry Potter hated him then he could never live to see another day again he just couldn't. And after all, who does want to be alive if they think the one person they love more than anyone or anything in the world hates their guts?

Dobby crawled onto his knees, willing himself to the feet of the dementor who had just spoken and began begging it to relieve him. He then felt himself being picked up in the hands of the dementor and lifted slowly up to its face and then...

Dobby woke up with a start. There was cold sweat pouring down his face and ears and nose. He looked around and found he was in his own bed in his own room in the Potters attic. He felt so relieved that it had all been just a bad dream.

_Or was it?_ He thought as he remembered he actually had gotten Harry Potter into trouble on more than one occasion during his second year at Hogwarts. Did that mean Harry Potter really did hate him and regret freeing him from his old master? Did it?

He had no more time to think on this as his alarm clock rang and announced it was time for him to wake up and fix breakfast for the Potters.

He dressed himself and went downstairs where he set to work on making a breakfast of toast, eggs, sausage, and pancakes for his family. As he was cooking the sausage slowly he became very preoccupied with thinking about the nightmare and whether it was real or not. The dementors had seemed real enough and he could feel the raw pain of the words they had spoken to him and still could. But he still had his soul now... didn't he?

The sudden smell of sizzling smoke brought his attention back to the present and he looked down and found the sausage was beginning to burn. He was horrified. Perhaps he really was a bad elf after all. He looked up and saw that his master's toast was also burned almost completely.

Dobby took hold of a frying pan sitting nearby and reverting to old habit he began whacking himself over the head with it exclaiming, "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

After a few minutes Harry came in and found Dobby in the act of punishing himself. "Dobby! What in the world are you doing?"

"Dobby has let Master's breakfast burn! Dobby must punish himself! Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!" he replied while still whacking himself with the frying pan.

"No, Dobby, no! Please stop!" begged Harry as he rushed forward and snatched the frying pan out of his hands. "It's alright Dobby, really! Just start over again."

"As Master wishes," said Dobby, somewhat dazzedly.

Dobby remade most of the breakfast he had started on and then as the Potter family all took their places at the table he set it with their respective plates.

He watched as his Mistress took her first sip of her morning tea, and a look of surprise and confusion came into her eyes.

"Is their something wrong with Mistress's tea?" asked Dobby nervously.

"I'm afraid you forgot to add tea," Ginny told him gently. "For it's just hot water and sugar."

Dobby was horrified again. "Forgot to add tea! Dobby has never been so embarrassed!"

Dobby rushed over to the stove and opening the oven door he began repeatedly shutting his ears into it again and again while berating himself, "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby! Stupid useless Dobby!"

"Dobby stop! You don't have to punish yourself! I thought you were done with that years ago!" Harry exclaimed as he rushed up to Dobby and pulled him back.

"There's no need to be so hard on yourself, Dobby," Ginny added. "Everyone makes mistakes sometimes."

"Dobby you are a free elf, and you don't have to punish yourself," James added.

Dobby looked from one to another with tears forming in his eyes.

"Dobby," Harry said tenderly. "This isn't like you. Please tell me what is wrong to make you act this way?"

Dobby told them all about the nightmare he had had the other night and of his fears of it reflecting reality. "Dobby dreamed he was being chased by dementors through the Forbidden Forest! They were everywhere... it was so dark! Then they said these things that hurt Dobby and that Master Harry hates Dobby and wishes he had never freed him." He looked quiveringly up at Harry. "Is it true Master?"

"No, of course not, Dobby!" Harry assured him. "I've never hated you. Why should I? You are the best house elf a wizard family could ever have."

"But what about all the times Dobby caused you to suffer?" Dobby said, bowing his head."Harry Potter almost got expelled because of him, and then there was the bludger, and..." Dobby dissolved once more into tears.

"Dobby I forgave you for those things a long time ago, and you know it," Harry assured him as he put his arms around the crying elf.

"Harry Potter doesn't regret setting Dobby free from old master, does he?" asked Dobby still choked with sobs.

"Of course I don't, Dobby," Harry assured him again. "I if did I wouldn't have been able to stand up to Lord Voldemort all those times because I would be just as bad as he and your old master Lucious, if not worse than them. Aw, Dobby, when I look at you I don't think of the bad things you did, I think of all the good things. You helped me with the diary in my second year, you gave me the Gillyweed in my fourth year, and you told me about the room of requirement in my fifth year, and you tracked Malfoy and gave me important information in my sixth year, and I'll never forget my seventh year when you saved me and most of my friends from a throng of death eaters and you even took the knife one of them threw at me and you could have died, but you didn't. Then if it hadn't been for you and Winky I never found the courage to propose to Ginny, and then when our children were born you helped to bring them into the world. I never would have the life I have today if it hadn't been for you, and I'm eternally grateful to you for all you've done."

Winky, who had been listening in the doorway the whole time, now came forward and took Dobby in her own arms.

"If it hadn't been for Dobby, Winky wouldn't be alive today. She would have had nowhere to go when she was freed from her old master, and then she'd have had no one to turn to when she was going through the hardest time of her life. Remember, Dobby, how you stopped Winky from killing herself by jumping off of the Hogwarts tower and said you loved her, and Winky love you too. She would never have been happy again if she never knew you."

Ginny now picked up Dobby and cradled him in her arms like she did her own children. "Just remember, Dobby, that your nightmares aren't real, and the love of your family and friends is," she told him."


	6. Chapter 6

"You know, Harry, I've been thinking about Dobby a lot lately," said Ginny to her husband one morning.

"So have I," admitted Harry. "Especially after that nightmare he had a few days ago. What do you suppose could have brought it on?"

"I'm not sure," said Ginny somberly. "But it sure seems to have left the poor dear scarred. I mean, he has been acting like he's walking on egg shells since then, hasn't he?"

"He has," admitted Harry. "In spite of our reassuring him of our love for him. Maybe he just doesn't realize how special he is to all of us."

"I wish there were a way we could show him he is," sighed Ginny.

"I'm sure we can. But how?" asked Harry.

The two of them pondered on this for a while and then suddenly Ginny spoke again.

"I know! A party! We'll throw a party for Dobby right here and invite all of ours and his friends from Hogwarts."

"What a brilliant idea!" exclaimed Harry. "I do remember how much good it did my heart when you and everyone else surprised me with a party on my birthday."

"But when is Dobby's birthday?" asked Ginny. "Has he not told you?"

"Actually," said Harry. "He doesn't even know when his birthday is himself. I asked him once at Hogwarts and he said that most house elves never get to know when they were born."

"How sad," said Ginny. "But all the more reason why we should give him a surprise party. We'll tell him it's his birthday anyway."

"I agree," said Harry cordially.

"What would Master and Mistress like for breakfast today?" asked Dobby eagerly.

"Just two pieces of toast and a hard boiled egg, please Dobby," replied Harry simply. "I have to leave early today for a full day at the Ministry."

"The same with me, please Dobby," added Ginny. "I also have a full day ahead of me."

"As Master and Mistress wish," said Dobby cheerfully, and he proceeded to make the desired meal.

Shortly after Harry and Ginny had left James gathered up his broomstick and announced, "I have to leave now too, Dobby. I have a quidditch game with Lupin."

"Good luck, young sir," said Dobby.

"And I'm out too," said Lily. "I have a party to go to."

"What kind of party?" asked Dobby curiously.

"It's a birthday party," she replied.

"What is a birthday party?" asked Dobby.

"You mean you don't know?" asked Lily in surprise.

Dobby shook his head no with his ears drooping slightly.

"A birthday party is a special celebration you give to a person you really love on the anniversary of the day they were born, and you give them cake and presents and in this way you let them know just how much you love them," Lily explained.

"Dobby likes the idea," he said. "He wishes he had a birthday to celebrate," he added wistfully.

"What do you mean, Dobby," asked Lilly, perplexed. "You mean you don't know when your birthday is?"

"No," said Dobby soberly. "It comes with being a house elf. Most masters would never let their elf know when they were born or let alone celebrate it, it is most unthinkable!"

Lilly bent down and hugged Dobby tightly for a moment, and then she took her own broom and opened the front door. "I'll be back this evening," she said just before she left.

Right after James and Lily were out the door, Dobby's mate Winky came bustling after them. She was wearing her flowered straw hat and light blue pea coat and carrying a matching purse which she always carried when she went out.

"Winky has to go shopping today, she does," she said cheerily as she walked up to Dobby and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. "She will bring Dobby something back."

Now with the whole household, except for Albus who was upstairs taking a nap in his crib, Dobby began to feel a glum loneliness settle into him. He wondered what a house elf was to do when he was left alone. After pondering on it for a moment he decided to clean the whole house for when the family returned.

First he went up to the attic and began to clean it first. After he did so he found a lone sock on the floor beside his bed, and as he picked it up he saw there was a tiny piece of paper stuffed inside it. Taking it out he read the note that said, "There is another one in the Master's room."

Dobby was most intrigued by this, for he often loved games. He went into Master Harry's room where he cleaned everywhere until he found the second sock with the note stuffed inside. This one read, "There is another one in the Mistress's room."

So Dobby went into Mistress Ginny's room and cleaned around it until he found the third note stuffed in a sock which read "There is another one in the children's room."

And so Dobby went into the room of James and Lily and it took him quite a time to clean up this one, but after much work he found the sock with the note stuffed in it. It read, "There is another one in the baby's room."

So Dobby stepped cautiously into Albus's room where he was careful to not wake his youngest master and found the sock with the note stuffed in it. This one read "The last one is in the kitchen."

Now Dobby would finally know what this was all about! He hurriedly apparated into the kitchen. Once he was inside he found it was completely dark as it was now evening and there was not a single light on. Dobby did not like such darkness and so he snapped his fingers and turned on the lights. And then a most wondrous sight took him completely by surprise.

The whole Potter family was standing before him, as well as a few close friends of theirs like Hermione and Ron Weasley and Luna and Neville Longbottom, and there was even a dozen house elves, all of which he recognized from his time at Hogwarts. They were all beaming and smiling at him.

"Surprise!" they all exclaimed in unison. "Happy birthday, Dobby!"

Dobby stared, hardly believing his ears at what he had just heard. "Birthday?" he repeated. "It is not Dobby's birthday."

"But you don't know when it is, so it could be any day," replied Harry easily. "We all decided to give you a party today because we want to let you know how much we love you and what a good elf you've been all these years."

"When I said I had a birthday to go I meant yours, of course," said Lilly. "I was actually out shopping with Mum and Dad for your presents.

"Presents?" Dobby once could hardly believe his ears. Then he noticed the small pile of brightly wrapped packages sitting atop the table beside a large round cake with candles on it.

Dobby opened his presents one after another. Harry gave him enough new socks to fill up one whole drawer, each one had a different color and, or pattern. Ginny gave him a new shirt she had embroidered herself with the words "I am a free elf" across the front. Last, but not least, Lilly and James gave him a new set of seven different colored handkerchiefs, one for each day of the week.

"Oh, oh, oh!" exclaimed Dobby as he wiped the happy tears from his eyes with one of the handkerchiefs. "All of Dobby's friends and family here to give him a birthday party... and they give him so many nice gifts... and such nice gifts as these no less! It is too much for a house elf!"

"There is one present left," announced Winky as she stepped forward. She reached into her little pocketbook and took out what looked like tiny pink jewel just the right size to fit into an elf's palm. "This is called a remembering charm stone," Winky explained as she held it out to Dobby. "Any time Dobby holds it and thinks of the ones he loves it will show him one or more of his fondest memories of them. Just try it."

Dobby took the stone and thought first of Harry Potter and almost at once an image the size of a miniature tv screen appeared in front of him which showed the time Harry had tricked his old master into giving him a sock and set him free. Next Dobby thought of Winky and quickly the image shifted to the time when he and Winky were married at Hogwarts.

Now it seemed like the tide had just come in as Dobby threw his arms around Winky and began smothering her with wet kisses.

"This is the best birthday Dobby has ever had, even though it is the only birthday he has ever had!"


	7. Chapter 7

One day Dobby found his master and mistress sitting close together on the sofa and each was holding a large red leather bound book with gold binding and they were smiling broadly as they looked through the pages, pausing a few seconds before turning every page.

Curiously, Dobby approached them and asked, "What is in this book which has Master Harry and Mistress Ginny smiling so much?"

"Why, this is our family album were looking through, Dobby. Come on up here, we've just about got to where you come into it."

So Dobby climbed onto a corner of the sofa and sat beside Harry, peering over his shoulder as he looked into the book that was filled with photos of smiling and waving people.

"See, Dobby," Harry said, pointing to a picture. "Here is when we buried Kreacher and you became officially initiated as my personal house elf."

Dobby looked at the picture and found himself smiling just like he was in the picture. _That was the best day of my life,_ he thought to himself. _And it was worth waiting five years. It was more than ten years ago but it still seems like only yesterday._

Harry turned the page again and pointed to a new set of pictures. "Look, here's all of us together at Ron and Hermione's wedding."

Turning a few more pages Ginny pointed to another set of pictures. "And there's ours," she pointed out.

"Those two days were the happiest of my life," said Harry. "Oh, and here was another one, when James was born. "We named him after my father and my godfather."

"And here is when Lily was born," Ginny pointed out. "We named her after your mother and also our friend Luna."

"Dobby remembers when Master Albus was born," Dobby spoke up.

"So do I," said Harry. "And you once again became the hero of the day."

_It was the middle of Winter and Dobby had just finished cleaning the morning's dishes and Harry was about to leave for the Ministry when it happened. _

_Ginny clutched at her largely swollen stomach and her eyes went wide with shock and pain as she cried out, "Harry, this is it! The time is near!"_

_Harry was familiar with this unexpected yet expected interruption as it had happened twice before, but not at this time of year and so he saw it as cause for alarm._

"_There is a blizzard outside, we'd never make it!" he declared frantically as he tried to think rationally. "I'll send a swift owl to our doctor. Come on, Dobby, get Ginny upstairs._

_So Dobby apparated with Ginny holding his hand upstairs to the bedroom and helped her to lay down on the bed where she began moaning and howling in great agony._

_Soon Harry came up and joined them. "He should be here soon, Ginny. Just hold on," he said as he clutched her hand in his own and tried to speak reassuringly._

_The minutes began to tick by and there was still no sign of the doctor arriving. Harry feared he may have got lost in the blizzard as he held his wife's hand and their sweat mingled with one another's_

_Dobby had been anxiously pacing back and forth and every now and then looking out the window. Then suddenly Ginny gave one particularly agonized cry and he looked and saw that she was now beginning to start bleeding around her midsection. He knew at once what he must do and he climbed onto the bed and crouched in front of her._

_As the infant inside of her slowly began to come forth he began gently helping it to pull free while at the same time he cast a spell that would numb some of the pain Ginny was going through and Harry continued to hold her hand and speak words of encouragement to her._

_As Dobby looked on he was sure he had never seen so much bloodiness in all his life and yet as he watched the baby's head emerging from the open womb followed by its tiny hands and feet his heart was beating rapidly with joy as he felt he had also never seen anything so wondrously beautiful._

_Finally the end moment came and Dobby pulled out the Potters third child. It was crying quite loudly and kicking at so hard Dobby had to hold it out at arms length._

"_It's a boy!" exclaimed Harry delightedly as he reached out to take the baby into his own arms and wrapped it in a towel he had at the ready._

"_Thank you, Dobby," Ginny said gratefully to him. She was very exhausted yet at the same time just as happy. "I don't know where I'd be if you hadn't been here."_

_Dobby smiled with tears in his eyes. "What shall we name the new little master?" he asked turning to Harry who had given the names of the other two children._

_Harry had only a moment to think on it. "I shall name my second son after the two wizards who I admired the most and always will."_

_Ginny knew at once what he meant. "Albus Severus Potter, it is," she agreed._

"That was almost three years ago, and I still remember it like it was yesterday," said Ginny.

Dobby leaned against Harry and sighed fondly at the memory. He turned the next few pages in the album and stopped on a set of pictures which made him smile with happy memories and yet also brought a tinge of pain to him.

"I remember this day," said Harry. "It was when you all gave me a surprise birthday party."

"And we all made sure it was the best you had," added Ginny.

"And it was," said Harry.

"Except Dobby ruined the cake," said Dobby with his ears drooping as low as could be.

"Now, now Dobby, that wasn't your fault," Ginny assured him. "Don't you remember?"

_The Potter family was sitting around their table finishing their breakfast, Harry had every now and then been glancing around at them all as if he were expecting something. Dobby came in and began to clear away the dishes._

"_You know," said Harry as he leaned forward in his chair. "It is a shame I have to work today, of all days."_

"_What's so special about today, Daddy?" Lilly asked innocently._

"_Well," said Harry with a slightly puzzled look in his eyes. "It's a beautiful day... and it's a Saturday..." He looked toward Ginny. "And maybe we could do something together as a family?"_

"_Sure," she said cordially. "Maybe when you get back."_

_As soon as Harry had left the house everyone in the room could barely contain their laughter._

"_He thinks we forgot his birthday!" James said. "Won't he be surprised when he gets back!"_

"_Dobby will get started on making Master's cake right away!" Dobby declared as he took out the ingredients and items he needed from the cupboards._

"_We've got to get started on putting up the decorations!" exclaimed Ginny._

_Once he was alone in the kitchen Dobby gathered together the flour, sugar, eggs, yeast, vanilla, and milk and cast a magic spell to make them pour themselves into the bowl and mix themselves together. Once it was all mixed up well he poured the mixture into a pan and placed it into the oven._

_He looked up at the clock and decided they needed all the time they could get and so he cast a spell that would decrease the amount of time it would take for the cake to bake by half. _

_He then skipped happily into the living room where he began helping his family put up the decorations. It was within minutes that a loud explosion came from the kitchen which seemed to shake the whole house. _

_Dobby suddenly had a most dreadful feeling and rushed into the kitchen followed by his mistress and her children. He found to his horror a great deal of black smoke was pouring out of the oven door and as he rushed forward to open it his fingers felt like they would burn off and when he opened it a horrible smelled came forth and total blackness covered the oven's insides. He reached in through all the smoke and pulled out the pan inside and found it was cracked and as black as everything around it._

"_Oh no! What happened, Dobby?" asked Ginny in horror._

_A guilty look came into Dobby's eyes and he felt like the world was coming to an end as he burst loudly into tears. "Dobby has ruined Master's cake! Dobby cast a spell that blew up the cake and now Master's birthday shall be ruined!" he wailed._

_Ginny looked horrified and then looked toward the ingredients on the table Dobby had used and a curious look appeared in her eyes. She picked up the bottle of vanilla and a sudden look of realization came over her face._

_Dobby meanwhile was wailing his loudest and hitting himself on the head with the burnt out pan. "Dobby must punish himself right away! He will close his head in the oven door!"_

_Fortunately Ginny dashed in front of him and stood blocking his way as she held up the small bottle of what Dobby had thought was vanilla. "Dobby," she said. "This isn't vanilla, it is valhilla, a potion I use with my herbs and I keep it in the cupboard for safe keeping."_

_Dobby stopped crying abruptly and a stunned look came over his face which was quickly replaced by a look of guilt again. "Dobby should have looked at it twice! Stupid Dobby!"_

"_No, Dobby, it's not your fault," Ginny reassured him kindly. "I shouldn't have kept it in such a place to begin with."_

"_But what about Master's cake?" asked Dobby, looking on the verge of tears again._

"_We can just get one from Bessie D.'s Bakery, they have cakes ready in minutes," said Ginny brightly._

_So Dobby stayed home and did his best to clean out the oven and get rid of the smoke while Ginny and the children went to the wizarding bakery and ordered the biggest cake they could afford._

"And then when I got home later that day you all surprised me with the best birthday I've ever had," Harry said, remembering fondly. "And you gave me that portrait of my parents with all the members of the Order of the Phoenix with Dumbledore in front of them, the best surprise was when they started talking to me."

Dobby turned the pages again and stopped on a set of pictures he had never seen before but were from a day he remembered very well.

"These are from our anniversary last year," recalled Harry. "Remember how we went out together and left Dobby in charge with the kids?"

"Dobby remembers it very well," Dobby said with a chuckle.

_Dobby stood by the door with his master who was wearing his best robes and his mistress who was in her best dress._

"_Dobby wishes you both a pleasant evening," he said smiling._

"_Thank you, Dobby," said Harry. "Are you sure you don't mind watching the children by yourself? We could still call one of the Weasleys._

"_Dobby doesn't mind at all," he assured them. "Dobby is loving the children just as they is loving him."_

"_Alright then Dobby," said Harry. "Just see that they are in bed by ten."_

"_As Master wishes," Dobby agreed._

_Once Harry and Ginny were out the door Dobby went into the kitchen and prepared dinner and set the table. Then he went upstairs to announce dinner was ready. As he stepped up to the door of the nursery he heard something going on in there. Curiously he opened the door and his eyes widened in horror at what he saw._

_Lily and James were jumping on each others beds and swatting each other with two pillows at a time and sending feathers flying in every which way. They jumped, laughed and screamed as they threw a real battle of pillow feathers at each other._

_Dobby was horrified to say the least. "Stop! Please stop!" he exclaimed desperately._

_James turned towards Dobby briefly. "She started it!" he exclaimed and was distracted long enough for Lily to whack him over the head with her already deflated pillow and sent a huge mass of new feathers flying into the air._

"_Please stop!" Dobby exclaimed again. "Master and Mistress will not like this, oh no! Please stop!" he cried out as they took no heed of his pleading. "You is ruining the pillows, you is!" he exclaimed trying to sound indignant. "When Master and Mistress is getting home they is be wanting to punish Lily and James... and Dobby!" He let out a cry of agitation as they still continued bombarding each other with their pillows. _

_He could see how serious the situation was and so he jumped up onto the bed and stood between them. "This is no way to play!" he exclaimed loudly. "Stop now or Dobby will..." He got no further as Lily and James had just at that moment flung their pillows at each other while bending down and so Dobby was sandwiched in between the pillows and he fell onto the bed dazedly with feathers covering his face._

_Lily and James at once stopped and looked at Dobby and burst unanimously into laughter. "Sorry Dobby!" Lily giggled._

_Dobby sat up riggedly and spit feathers out of mouth. "Dinner is ready," he said._

_Then Lily and James dropped their pillows, jumped off their beds, and ran downstairs to the kitchen._

_Dobby meanwhile picked himself up and quickly cast a few spells that made the feathers strewn everywhere gather into the pillows again and then he arranged the pillows at the heads of the bed and smoothed out the beddings again._

_He then went downstairs and headed into the kitchen and sat down with the children in his own specially made high chair. For a while everything went well with the children talking about their plans for when school started again, and then James brought up the subject of quidditch._

"_This year with Lupin as our captain we'll beat Ravenclaw," he said. "I can't wait to try out my new broom, there's no way we can lose with me on it!"_

"_Why don't you let me be on the team, James?" Liliy asked pouting._

"_Well, because you haven't got the skill for our team, of course," James replied airily. "After all, no girl your age has ever made the team in the history of quidditch."_

_His words were cut off abruptly as Lily picked up a handful of her peas and threw them at him. He looked at Lily's scowling face and then picked up a handful of his corn and threw it at her. She in turn picked up a handful of her mashed potatoes and tossed them in his direction._

_Dobby's eyes widened in horror as he could see what was going on and what it could son become if he didn't act fast. He stood up on his chair and exclaimed, "Now stop this at once! Food is for-" his words were abruptly cut off as a large piece of roast beef was flung in his mouth by James._

_James laughed and Dobby indignantly picked up a large bit of his pumpkin pie and threw it at James who ducked at the last moment and it struck the wall behind him._

_The food fight between the children and the elf went on for a few more minutes with bits of the dinner flying everywhere and hutting the kitchen walls. When suddenly they all found themselves frozen in place and unable to move. Dobby stood stiff with the last bit of his pie in his hand ready to be flung at someone but he found he just couldn't no matter how much he tried and he could see the other two in the room the same way._

_Behind him their came high-pitched scolding voice belonging to Dobby's mate Winky. "Look at you all, look at what you've done to the kitchen! Winky is sure Master and Mistress is going to have something to say about this! But first Winky will have her say!"_

_And so saying she cast her spell which erased the mess in the kitchen and then she undid the spell she had put on them and they at once sat down in their chairs though they no longer threw any food, not that there was much left of the dinner._

_Winky went up to the stove and dished up some more roast beef, corn, peas, and potatoes for them to eat properly. Though unfortunately there was no pie leftover._

_After dinner Dobby and Winky saw that the children were properly cleaned up and then tucked away in bed. Harry and Ginny arrived home in the middle of the night._

"_I hope there was no trouble tonight, Dobby?" Harry said._

"_No... none that Dobby and Winky couldn't handle," Dobby replied._

"_Good. Well, do you think you could watch them again when Ginny and I go out of town next month?" asked Harry._

"_Certainly, Master," Dobby replied without hesitation. "But," he added quickly, "next time also call the Wheezys over."_

"We have so many memories in here," Harry said as they reached the end of the book. "And I hope we continue to have more as long as possible."

Dobby hoped so too.


	8. Chapter 8

The weather outside was cold and chilly with snow falling heavily which contrasted with the atmosphere inside of the Potters home which was warm and cozy with a fire blazing in the hearth as everyone was gathered around the table in the parlor and writing out their annual Christmas cards, except Albus who was three years old and couldn't write yet.

James and Lily each signed a card to Rose and Hugo Weasley, one had a picture of a dancing candy cane and the other had a picture of a Christmas tree with blinking lights on it.

"I hope Uncle and Ron and Aunt Hermione will visit for Christmas this year," said Lily hopefully.

"If not we'll just come visit them," added James.

While on the other side Harry and Ginny signed one of a bouncing snowman to Bill, Fleur, and Victoire Weasley who were on Christmas holiday this year in France and Teddy Lupin had gone with them.

"I hope they are having fun in Paris this year," said Ginny.

"You know Teddy and Victoire always have fun together," Harry said with a smile.

Dobby and Winky at the end of the table was collecting the cards and scribbling his name below the others just before he placed them into the envelopes. Albus sat watching him and picked up one card which was an animated picture of Father Christmas in his flying sleigh with eight tiny reindeer.

"Who is this?" asked Albus curiously.

Harry came over and sat Albus on his lap and began to tell him the story he had told twice before in the past twelve years.

"This is Father Christmas," he explained. "He is a very special wizard who comes to the houses of all of the children in the world once every year on Christmas eve leaving presents for them in his wake."

"He is a wizard? You're sure?" asked Albus.

"I'm sure he must be," replied Harry, "because he can make reindeer fly, and visit all the houses in the world in one night and no one ever sees him though some have been said to catch glimpses of him in his flying sleigh pulled by reindeer through the sky. Also he has elves working for him."

"Like Dobby and Winky?" asked Albus.

"Sort of," replied Harry. "His are very special elves who dwell only in the North Pole and have the power to make the toys every child in the world wants and they help him keep track of how many children there are every minute as he makes his list and checks it twice."

"Well, actually Father Christmas doesn't come to all of the houses in the world," said James. "We learned in school that not everyone celebrates Christmas, they celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. And there is more than just one who brings gifts on Christmas eve, in Italy there is a witch called the Befana and in Sweden there is a gnome called Jutomtum."

Harry smiled at his eldest son. "I guess the wizard Father Christmas seems to favor our neck of the world." He turned again to his youngest and asked, "Would you like to sign your name on this card Albus?" Albus nodded eagerly and so Harry took a red crayon and gently tucked it between Albus's tiny fingers and helped him write his name on the card. "It's A-L-B-U-S, there that's it. Very good!"

Then shortly after they had finished sending out the cards Ginny went over to the window and exclaimed, "Look! The snow has stopped!"

"Now we can go outside and play in the snow! Hooray!" exclaimed James.

So the children and the elves all put on their winter clothes with hats, scarves, mittens, and boots and rushed outside and into the thick snow drifts. Lily fell backward onto the white covered ground and spread her limbs out and made a snow angel while the elves began helping James and Albus build a snowman.

Lily stood up and admired the snow angels she had made then she heard James cry out, "Lily, look over there!" She looked quickly behind her and then suddenly felt a solid frozen snowball make contact with the side of her head. She turned and found found James laughing heartily and so she reached down and grounded up the biggest snowball she could and tossed it rapidly in his direction. Soon the elves were joining in and everyone was throwing snowballs at everyone all at the same time.

Harry and Ginny watched them playing from the window. "They remind me of us when we were their age," Harry said, smiling as he reminisced.

"We sure had some fantastic snowball wars, didn't we?" added Ginny. "It seems James has inherited your skill."

Later everyone came inside and was warmed up by the fire with hot chocolate. The children began talking animatedly about what they wanted for Christmas.

"I want one of those unicorns that grows to let you ride it," said Lily.

"I want one of those robot dolls that walks and talks and does tricks," said James.

"Hey now, you mustn't get carried away with your Christmas list," Harry said as he came over and sat down with them. "You must remember that Christmas isn't just about receiving presents, it is also about family and friends and helping the less fortunate. Remember that I was raised by my muggle Aunt and Uncle Dursley and I didn't have a happy Christmas until I went to Hogwarts. I want you lot to have the Christmases I missed out on always."

Later in the evening they all went Christmas shopping in Diagon Alley for presents for their family and friends. The fronts of the shops were all decorated with bows and holly and bells and lights. They entered all of the shops that sold eligible gifts.

As they were leaving they encountered a group of Christmas carolers and also an old wizard wearing a Santa Claus costume and ringing a bell with a large canister beside him which they learned was to collect charity funds for the orphanage of children whose parents had died in the war of the previous decade.

"Now this is what I was talking about when I explained to you what Christmas is all about," Harry said as he deposited a few galleons into the canister as did the others including the elves.

"Ho ho ho! Thank you very much and merry Christmas!" said the charity Santa as they passed by.

They were just about to exit Diagon Alley when they suddenly heard the sound of rough coughing coming from nearby. They followed it and it led them to a large overturned cardboard box left out in a deserted alleyway.

"There must be something living inside there," said Harry.

They carefully turned the box over onto its side and they discovered a lone house elf wearing a pillowcase full of holes. His long ears were drooping and his blue eyes were red and puffy and his nose was running slightly. His arms were wrapped around himself as if to keep warm and he was quivering with seemingly both chill and fear. He looked up at them with a most imploring expression.

"Please help me!" he cried.

"Who are you and why are you out here all alone?" asked Harry.

"I is Jolie the house elf, sir," replied the little elf, "and I is out here all alone because his master has thrown Jolie out and gave him this," he held up a worn and filthy old sock.

"You were thrown out in the middle of winter! How awful!" exclaimed Ginny.

The elf slowly started crying as he spoke. "Jolie does not know any place to go to, and he is so ashamed of being free he does not want to be seen and so he intends to freeze to death. Please leave Jolie be!"

"I can't possibly leave you be," declared Harry. "Listen to me, Jolie. I work in the ministry and have contacts with witches and wizards who have special interests in the welfare of elves like you and we can find you a new home and family and until we do you can stay with us."

The elf looked up at them with wide tear-filled eyes. "You are too kind to a miserable lowly house elf!" he wailed.

"Winky understands just how Jolie feels," said Winky kindly as she helped the Jolie out of the box. "Winky was set free by her old master twenty years ago and she was ashamed of it for the longest time but then she met Dobby who is now her mate and he helped her see freedom not as a burden but as a blessing because he was freed by the great Harry Potter who is now our master."

Dobby nodded and added, "Socks are Dobby's most favorite clothes. Come with Dobby and you will see just how lucky you is now."

"Besides," added Ginny. "If your old master had the audacity to throw you out in the cold he probably didn't deserve you in the first place."

So Jolie went home with them and Harry at once set about looking for a new home for him. He brought him down to the elf centre of the ministry where he met with elves who were also free and homeless. Then he posted an ad in the Daily Prophet about Jolie needing a home for Christmas.

Then after a few days had gone by while Jolie was decorating the Christmas tree along Winky and Dobby and the children and Ginny and Harry were in the kitchen baking Christmas cookies a large snowy white owl wearing a bright green and red scarf knocked at the window and deposited a letter from someone claiming to want to be Jolie's new master.

"He says he will arrive on Christmas Eve!" exclaimed Harry as he read the note aloud.

Jolie who was wearing Dobby's older clothes which he had given to him began squealing with absolute delight and dancing around everyone's legs and soon the other elves and children joined in

Christmas Eve came and at their doorstep there appeared an older man with a long white beard wearing bright red robes with a green cloak and black shiny boots. His eyes held a twinkle which reminded Harry of his late Headmaster.

"Is the Potters house? I have come to collect the elf named Jolie," he said in a deep and friendly voice.

Jolie stepped forward smiling. "I is Jolie, new master," he said bowing to him.

The old gentleman laughed in a jolly manner and said. "There will be no need to bow to me as I will not enslave you in any way. I will treat you with the respect that I treat all of my elf helpers with. Though you will be unique because of instead of working in my workshops you will be my personal servant, my wife and I have been talking about getting an elf just like you for a long time now."

Jolie wailed with happiness and embraced the old gentleman while rambling almost incoherent words of gratitude. Then the Potters bid them goodbye as the two of them left hand in hand. Seconds after the door was closed they heard they sound of sleigh bells and hoof beats on the snow passing by.

"I'm so happy for Jolie!" said Lily. "It feels so good to know we've done something good for someone in need of it."

"Especially at this time of year," agreed Harry.

Then as they all gathered around their Christmas Eve feast they all raised their glasses and spoke in unison, "To Jolie and his new master, may they find happiness in each other!"

The next morning Harry and Ginny were abruptly awakened from their slumber by their children who were eager to open presents and equally anxious elves.

As they gathered around the tree and opened their presents James found among them a toy robot that walks and talks and does tricks, and Lily found a unicorn that grows to let you ride it, and Albus found a rubber duckie that quacks in songs and swims like a real duck.

Ginny and Harry gave each other their presents. Ginny's to Harry was a special remembral which works like a pensive so he could preserve such happy memories as this one. Harry's to Ginny was a music box which played her favorite love song.

Winky and Dobby took out the presents which each of them had put in large Christmas stockings. Dobby's gift to Winky was a set of magic rings which glowed when they each held hands. Winky's gift to Dobby was, to his great delight, a pair of shiny brown shoes with the toes pointed slightly upward which would go splendidly with his collection of socks.


End file.
